


The Call of the Sea

by aoishmex



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Fanfiction, M/M, Other, Smut, mermaid au, other people's ocs, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:22:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22081771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aoishmex/pseuds/aoishmex
Summary: Luka has always been drawn to the sea despite the villagers'-- and his aunt's-- constant warnings. One day he comes upon one of the very creatures he has been warned against the most. The rest is a fish tale.
Relationships: Datura x Luka, MC x MC, fan apprentice x fan apprentice
Kudos: 4





	1. Tide 1

**Author's Note:**

> Datura belongs to the wonderful wingcinna on Twitter and Tumblr. Please check her out and fall for this wonderful man like I (and my apprentice) did! Datura's description is based on her wonderful artwork.

“Stay clear of the sea,” his aunt told him. But how could he when the sand on the beach sparkled brighter than gold? How could he when the steady sound of waves breaking on the shore was like the beat of his heart? How could he when the crests of sea foam greeted him like a friend when they touched his bare feet? “Stay clear of the sea,” she had said over countless cracks of thunder. But how could he when there were myriads of shells to discover after a storm? How could he when the dark peace of the night turned the sea into a mirror of the moon and stars he loved so much? “Stay clear of the sea,” his aunt said, “or the creatures of the deep will pull you to your grave as swiftly as the pull of the tide will sweep you under.” But how could he when the call of the sea felt like something calling him home?

And how could he… when the creatures the villagers feared were so magical to behold?

Luka slipped off his shoes and placed them carefully on the rocks beside him. He stepped onto the sand, warm and giving beneath his feet, eagerly facing the expanse of blue roiling before him. The wind carried the salty air to his lungs and he welcomed it with a deep breath and a content sigh. The village was not far behind him, but their fear of the sea put a welcome distance between them. His aunt was the only reason he had for staying where he was. Well; his aunt and the sea. Surely he could find another beach elsewhere. Surely there were towns with more shells to find, more sand to sift through, and less superstitions that kept the people from truly living. Surely he could find all these things and more. But there was a soft voice in his mind telling him there was something he needed to find here.

When his feet met with the cool water he took in another deep breath, closed his eyes, and let his world fade away. His heartbeat synchronized with the tide. The rush of the waves drowned out his thoughts, his worries. And the faint, familiar whisper that echoes off the crests called to him: _come home_. Luka opened his eyes against to watch the sparkles dancing upon the water.

His aunt’s voice broke through the whispers. _“Stay clear of the sea. You drowned once, my child. Fortune will not favor you again.”_ Luka closed his eyes again but her warnings persisted. _“The sea is no place for young men. It is for fishers and sailors who are both fortunate enough to make their living and cursed enough to fear the very thing that provides for them. The creatures will not help you. If they find you, child, no one can help you.”_

_“Help me…”_

Luka’s eyes opened. He blinked in confusion. He looked beside him, behind him, ahead of him, but there was no one around. Was it his own voice he had heard? No; it wasn’t his.

 _“Help me…”_ the voice repeated. _“Help me,”_ it persisted. Luka concentrated. If he could focus what little magic he possessed he could pinpoint who was calling to him. _“Help…!”_

 _There!_ He turned to his left and his eyes locked onto a shape further down the beach. He ran as quickly as his feet could carry him along the wet sand. The fins jutting from the shape telling him it was an animal. As he got closer, however, there was more to the figure than an animal’s body. His feet slowed to a stop only a foot from the creature. He knew from books one half of the creature was that of a tiger shark. A man’s torso gave way to a long fin the color of walnut trees to match his skin. Darker stripes ran along his body from his neck to the end of his fin and even along his arms. Scars marred his body in several placed. His face was obscured by long, shimmering silver hair. Luka knelt down and slowly reached out to brush the long locks aside so he could see the creature’s face. _Hair… like mine_ , he thought as he let it sift through his fingers. He had heard tales of creatures having a feature that looked like hair but was often described as kelp or poisonous barbs. As his fingers brushed along the neck he could feel two gills. _Flesh like mine—at least from the waist up_. Soon the creature’s face was revealed to him. And what Luka saw was not at all what he had heard from fishermen’s tales.

Instead of something disfigured he saw something beautiful. He saw a handsome face with defined cheeks, a human nose, and a defined jaw. He saw human-like lips, not terrifying slits where lips should have been. _Brows and lashes, too…_ he thought in wonderment. _He’s beautiful…!_ Luka felt his breath catch in his lungs as his heart fluttered. Even through the sand clinging to the merman’s body he could see more scars on his face and arms. Some were stark white as they were healing while others were darker scars. But there was one that seemed fresh. He must have cut himself on a rock when he washed up on shore, Luka surmised. All his wonder was cut short when he felt a faint breath against his hand. He noticed the soft rise and fall of the merman’s chest. I need to get him in the water! Luka realized, suddenly remembering why he had come upon the other in the first place. A quick look at how far they were from the water told him the best thing to do. He moved to the end of the merman’s fin and took hold the best he could around the base of the caudal fin. He took in a deep breath to steel himself and began to drag the merman toward the water.

He had only gotten a few feet when the merman seemed to snap back to life and began trashing in protest. Luka did his best to hold on without gripping so hard he was hurting. “I’m just trying to help!” he shouted, though there was no guarantee the creature could understand him. “We’re almost in the water, just let me help you!” he repeated. Oddly enough, after a minute of Luka persistently tugging at his fin, the merman seemed to calm down. Though whether it was because he understood what Luka had said or because he was too weak to resist Luke couldn’t be sure. “Almost…” he panted once the water was up to his knees. “I need to get you deep enough where the tide can catch you,” he said. He could feel the scorching sun punishing his back for the prolonged exposure. He dug his feet into the sand the best he could until he was in the water to his waist and he could feel the sand begin to slant downhill. “Okay,” he voiced more to himself and began turning his body around so he could turn the merman around as well. Only when the merman was facing the open water did Luka finally let go, giving the creature a gentle push into the water by his fin. Within a blink the merman had disappeared into the depths of the sea and out of his sight. Luka let out a sigh of relief, though the relief soon turned into disappointment, having no doubt the merman was the first and last creature he would ever see. With a sigh to match his disappointment he turned to return to shore, unaware of the silver eyes that watched him as he did so.

“I’m going out,” Luka called as he slipped on his sandals.

“Stay clear of the sea,” his aunt called. Of course she knew it was a moot point to tell him but she did so anyway. “The sky is not calm today. If it begins to storm you must come home immediately.”

“Yes, Aunt Tempe,” Luka replied perfunctorily.

“I’ll leave the lantern on for you,” his aunt said before he could close the door.

Luka sighed as he made his way down the hills toward the beach. It had been a month since he had seen the merman. The memory of his beauty still played in his mind as if it had been yesterday. _Ah, maybe this is another form of a siren’s spell_ , he thought. But the thought filled him with a strange giddiness instead of a fear as it should have. The sun was setting by the time he reached the rocks separating the sand from the grasslands of the village. Hues of orange, purple, and pink bled from the sky into the water. Instead of heading for the main expanse of the beach he made his way to a smaller estuary nestled between rocks. It was there he often found he could dip his feet in the water without a pull from the sea because it was further inland.

He sat down on the smoothest rock and sunk his legs into the water. It was deep enough to swim in, but so far Luka had not dared because he knew if he went too far into the water he wouldn’t want to return. The whispers were muted where he was but he could still sense them calling. The wind blew through his hair, turning cooler as the sun set to signify the coming night. He closed his eyes as he turned his face toward the sky to feel the wind more fully. Something clasped his ankle. Within seconds he was underwater with barely enough time to hold his breath. He found himself in the middle of the pool, face to face with a handsome merman with glinting silver eyes. Luka’s eyes widened. He looked down along the creature’s form to see familiar stripes and scars. When he looked back up he was met with a confident stare. Luka swam to the surface before he could run out of air. He climbed onto the rocks the best he could now that he was wet, turning quickly to look back at the water. The merman breached enough to where Luka could see his face to the tip of his nose. Silver eyes looked steadily at him. Luka could see there was a chunk taken out of his right ear. After regaining his breath enough he pushed through his awe to speak. “Why did you pull me under?” he asked.

The merman gave a razor-toothed, playful grin. “It was my turn to pull you in,” he said simply in a voice that was deep and sonorous. His words made it seem like they had a long running game going on between them.

Luka couldn’t help the breath of a laugh that left him. “I guess it was,” he agreed.

The merman swam closer until he was right in front of Luka’s legs. He pulled himself up with his hands at Luka’s sides on the rock, once again making their positions face to face, and Luka could do nothing but sit still and stare back as the merman peered into his face. “Your hair is vibrant like the sky and your eyes as deep as the sea,” the merman told him. Luka felt heat rushing to his cheeks that wasn’t from the sun. The merman folded is arms and settled them on Luka’s legs. “My name is Datura.”

“I’m Luka.”

“Luka,” the merman repeated, and Luka felt the sound travel straight to his heart. “Do you come to the beach every day?”

“Yes, but some days I only come to this pool.”

“You come here alone?”

“The villagers are too afraid of the water,” he explained, pausing some before continuing, “of what lies beneath the waves.”

Datura raised a brow in curiosity. “And you’re not?”

Luka shook his head. “I love the sea.”

“And what about what lies beneath?” The merman’s lips curved into a suggestive smirk.

Again the other felt heat build in his cheeks. “You’re the only one I’ve met,” he replied. He felt a bit of boldness grow in his chest as he leaned his head down closer to Datura’s face. “But, so far, I like what I see,” he said with a playful smile of his own.

The merman chuckled. “You’re not so bad yourself for a human.” Luka quirked his brow. He wasn’t sure whether he should be offended or flattered. Datura reached up to his left eye and tapped at the skin just below on his upper cheek. Luka noticed how all he felt was the familiar brush of skin on skin. “What’s this mark? Is it a scar?”

Luka’s own fingers brushed against the area. “Oh… No, it’s just a mark I was born with. Some people call them beauty marks,” he explained. He suddenly remembered something he had seen when they had first met. “Speaking of scars… did your injury heal?” he asked. “Let me see.” Datura tilted his head a bit in question, though he soon moved off Luka’s legs to instead jump onto the rocks beside him. He’s tall, the man noted in awe. Knowing from just how different their height was as they sat that if Datura were a man he would tower over him by at least a foot. The merman shifted his torso to show Luka his side. Luka’s eyes traveled down to where the wound had been. A roseate scar had replaced it now; stark and vivid in contrast to his skin. “It looks like it’s healing well.”

“It helped that you got me back in the water as soon as you did. Water heals us. What heals humans?”

“Herbs, poultices, other medicines,” Luka said. Datura looked at him blankly. Luka felt a bit stupid for how he had worded things. “Uh… certain plants and foods have healing properties. And some villages have magicians who can heal.”

“Tell me more,” Datura said eagerly, his shimmering eyes alight with curiosity and wonder.

For hours Luka told him about his world and Datura told him about his. He told him about different kinds of merfolk; how some were more specific in their fin resemblance to animals while some were not. He told him how differently some merfolk live. His kind fended for themselves, others lived in groups. He told Luka of his childhood, how he had gotten some of his scars, and all the seas he had traveled. When Luka told him about magicians Datura told him of a sea witch he had heard stories of but she had disappeared decades ago. He told Luka how all merfolk were born with some magic but not like a magician whose power was limitless.

A cold breeze indicated the fall of night. The sun was barely a sliver over the edge of the water. The purples and oranges of the sky had turned into deep blues. “I should go before it’s pitch black,” Luka said reluctantly.

Datura watched as he stood up to leave. “Why? The moon is out; there’s still light.”

“Yes, but I have no other light to get back with. And the rocks are even more treacherous in the moonlight. I have to go. Aunt Tempe said she would leave the lantern on for me but she won’t want me out too late,” he explained. He gave an apologetic smile at the disappointment that took the merman’s face. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“To the estuary?” Datura asked, eyes lighting up with hope. Luka nodded and Datura gave him a large grin. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Bring books!”

“You can read?”

“Yes!” the merman said in such an enthusiastic way Luka couldn’t help finding it cute.

“Okay, I’ll bring books. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said in farewell. Datura nodded before sinking effortlessly into the pool. Luka watched him go, making sure he was safely in the water before making his own way back to the village. This time there was a smile on his face.


	2. Tide 2

For the next few weeks Luka would meet Datura at the estuaries dotted along the coast. It was safer than the open beach. For one thing, they had more privacy. And there was less chance of Datura beaching again for another. Luka brought books as he promised and they would spend hours discussing the pictures in some and the stories in others. Datura debunked nearly every superstition Luka threw at him. There were times Luka could do the same, but it seemed merfolk didn’t have superstitions about humans because they didn’t care to learn about them. It was one of the things that made Luka feel the time he spent with Datura was special. Datura asked questions about humans in general, but would then ask what Luka himself did in comparison to others. He would listen to Luka’s personal stories with the same interest he showed when he talked about general things. There were also times Luka thought the look in Datura’s eyes as he listened to him was the same fondness he saw when Datura spoke of things he loved or when he read a book. These were thoughts the man kept to himself for he dared not hope he wasn’t simply seeing what he wanted to see.

Datura never forced Luka into the water with him. When Luka would soak his feet Datura would settle on his legs again like he had that first day, giving him the best view of how animated Luka could be when he spoke about things he cherished. There was a strange tingle in his chest when he spent time with the human. It felt as if he had brushed against an eel and could still feel its warning lingering in his body. This tingling however was pleasant and it confused him. But like Luka he kept these thoughts to himself.

One day the merman repeated a question he had asked Luka before. “Do you come to the beach every day?”

“Yes.”

There was a small pause. “Do you come when it is storming?”

Luka paused in turning the page in the book he was holding. He looked at the other in silent question and spoke slowly. “Yes… Why?”

“That’s dangerous!”

The exclamation was so unnatural to hear Luka nearly flinched. Datura’s usual smooth voice had been harsh and admonishing. It took Luka a few moments to gather himself from the surprise it brought him. “I stay out of the water. I don’t even step within ten feet of the waves,” he said softly, feeling he needed to reassure the other for some reason.

“That’s too close. If it’s storming I don’t want you coming to the beach,” Datura insisted. He pushed himself up so they were face to face, eyes fierce and stern. “Stay clear of the sea.”

Luka felt a pang in his heart. They were his aunt’s words, her warning, spoken by the one being he never thought would say them. _Stay clear of the sea… or stay clear from you?_ he wondered. Either option left his chest uncomfortably tight. His brow contorted with pain and sadness he was trying to contain. His voice was soft and his breath shaky. “How can I…?” He swallowed to tamp down the emotions that threatened to show themselves. “How could I possibly stay away? I love the sea. I love everything about it. To stay away from it would be like… denying myself of water,” he said. It felt like he was pleading with Datura not to push him away; as if he was pleading for permission he didn’t need and wanted at the same time.

“When the sky is angry and you can’t leave the village without getting wet, I want you to stay inside. Stay clear of the sea.”

“Stop it!” Luka shouted as he sprung to his feet, knocking Datura back in the water in the process. “ _“Stay clear of the sea, stay clear of the sea,”_ ” he said mockingly. “ I hear that every day. I’ve heard it every day since I was young, since I… But I never thought I would hear it from you,” he said, no longer hiding the hurt he was feeling from his voice. He gathered the things he had brought with him hastily into his bag.

“Luka, listen to me, I was just…” But Luka shook his head and turned from him, climbing the rocks the best he could with his bare feet. “Luka! Luka!!” Datura called after his retreating form. “Dammit…!”

For the first time Luka drowned out the call of the sea. This was the first time he had ever run from it, but run as he might he could not run from the pain that lingered in his chest. He closed the door to his room in his aunt’s house and leaned against the door to catch his breath. He knew he hadn’t handled the conversation well. He knew he had upset Datura. And he had run from both the sea and the merman. Luka slid to the floor as tears flowed down his face.

Luka stared absently at the view from his aunt’s living room window. It was large and wide, the sill beneath made thick enough so a person could sit on it and see an unobstructed view. And it provided the best view of the sea the house could offer aside from the roof. The sun had set hours ago. The sky and sea blended together, black as ink, save for the faint glow of moonlight reflecting from its surface. He had been there since his aunt’s shop closed for the day. She had said nothing to him, knowing from experience he wouldn’t hear anything she said to him. For hours she had passed by him with different temptations. He had declined tea, cakes, and all his usual favorites. She had managed to get him to eat dinner though it was considerably less than normal.

Tempe gave a heavy sigh behind him. “Luka, come away from the window.”

The young man turned to look at her, taking a moment to acknowledge what she had said. He could see her dissatisfaction. “Yes, Aunt Tempe,” he said dully and pulled himself from the window. To his surprise he found her handing him a sack with a blanket, a protective charm, and a few candies. He looked at her in confusion.

“The moon calms you, child. It always has. Go; be near it and bask in its light. Let it ease your mind.” Luka took the sack with a nod. His aunt could see the hesitation in his countenance. She was ready to push him out the door if needed. There was no need for that, however, and she gave her usual warning in farewell. “Stay clear of the sea. I’ll leave the lantern on for you.” Of course Tempe knew full-well her warning was in vain. It was why she had given him the protective charm as an extra precaution. Even she knew the best place to watch the moon that night would be on the rocks directly by the sea.

The trek to the beach seemed longer than usual, yet at the same time it didn’t seem long enough. He won’t be here so late. There’s no reason for him to be here at all, he thought dejectedly. He made his way along the shoreline with heavy steps. His mind wandered, mulling over his fight with Datura, eyes cast down at the sand he paid little attention to. When he reached the rocks he climbed them as he had many times before until he reached the hidden area where he could get the best view of the moon. He set the blanket down on the cool stone and wrapped the charm around his wrist. He pulled his knees to his chest and rest his folded arms on top, letting out a slow, heavy sigh as he stared out at the moon. He could see half of the moon was in the sky while the other was distortedly reflected on the waves to complete the circle. The salty air filled his lungs and a soft breeze brushed his skin. The longer he stared at the moon the more he wondered if it was really going to calm him. Or was it simply going to torment him as his mind replayed the events of the day before.

At length, when he willed his mind to calm down, he could hear the familiar whispers carried on the waves. _Come home…_ Luka closed his eyes to focus. _Come home…_ the whispers repeated.

“I’m sorry,” Luka voiced. He meant it for the sea… and for Datura.

A deep voice spoke from the water. “I’m sorry, too.” Dark blue eyes snapped open to meet pale silver ones. Luka felt his heart flutter as if it were nothing but butterflies. But though he was happy to see the merman he couldn’t bring himself to look him in the eye for long. Datura swam closer until he could pull himself up to be level with Luka’s eyes. Supporting himself with one arm he ran a wet thumb across the skin beneath one of his eyes. Luka’s lashes fluttered at the contact. But it drew his eyes toward Datura like the merman wanted. His brows were knitted in concern. “The skin under your eyes is sore… Did I make you cry?” he asked gently.

Luka’s heart ached to see the unhappiness on the other’s face. His eyes darted to the side. “It wasn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. I know you said what you did because you were worried about me.” He gave the merman a small smile but Datura could tell he was far from happy.

The merman lowered himself back in the water, recalling his hand much to the man’s regret. “There was something you were going to say but you stopped yourself. What was it?” he asked gently.

A sigh left Luka’s nose. “I’ve drowned once before,” he said after a moment of silence. Datura waited patiently for him to continue. “I was little. I remember waking on the shore with my aunt shaking me. She said I had gone so deep and been gone so long I should have died. She said whatever fates had saved me wouldn’t do so again. But the sea keeps calling to me, as if I belong in it. My aunt says it’s a lingering curse.”

“Do you think it’s a curse?” Datura asked him.

Luka gave another small smile, this one more genuine, and shook his head. “It led me to you,” he said softly. He scooted forward so he could put his legs in the water. His hands stretched out to silently beckon Datura closer. He did so with a soft sloshing of water, and when he was close Luka cupped his defined cheeks in his hands. He brushed his thumb along the bone beneath. “You are no curse. Not to me. I was meant to find you.”

“Do you… Do you mean it?” the merman asked. Luka thought he felt heat beneath his hands. He nodded with another soft smile. Datura raised himself onto the rocks again, needing to settle between Luka’s legs. He took Luka’s chin in his hand as he closed the distance between them. His lips were less than a breath away. Luka could feel his heart threaten to leap from his chest. But when Datura’s eyes met his, the look in them made him forget everything else. His lashes fluttered shut. Datura kissed him slowly; soft at first and growing firmer when the contact was made.

It seemed to end all too soon. Luka let out a soft breath when they pulled apart. He looked up into Datura’s eyes, only inches away from his own, and found himself captivated. “What was that for?” he asked quietly.

The merman’s hand shifted to the base of his jaw and his neck. He could feel Luka’s pulse beneath his palm. “I think you know,” he whispered. Luka’s breath caught in his throat. The soft nod the man gave was enough of an answer for Datura. He kissed Luka again and again. Luka’s hands slid into his hair until his arms wrapped around his neck. Each kiss was reciprocated with equal fervor. Datura used his weight to lower Luka onto his back. Or did Luka pull him down at the same time?

Luka welcomed his body against his. He paid no mind to his clothes becoming wet or the change in the wind. Even as Datura’s cool hands ran along his sides he felt nothing but heat. Luka moved his hands to the other’s shoulders and down his arms, feeling his smooth skin so akin to his own he still marveled at it. His hands shifted to Datura’s sides and back where he could feel the tone of his muscles beneath his palms. Datura ran his tongue along the curve of Luka’s lips asking silently for permission to enter. The young man opened his lips to him, his own tongue coming to meet him halfway. He gave a soft moan in pleasure and thought he felt the merman shiver in his hold. His hands traveled lower still even past the unseen line where Datura’s human torso ended and his fin began. It was smooth like silk just as it had been when he had first touched it. When he could reach no lower he began trailing his hand up again. But the smoothness gave way to rough and he pulled his hand away with a slight gasp of surprise.

Datura broke from their kiss to look at him. He looked at Luka’s hand when it was brought up for inspection, seeing it was irritated as if it had been bitten. He took his hand gently in his and pressed his lips to the marks. Luka shuddered at the jolts of pleasure it brought. Datura gave a knowing smile as if he knew he would get that reaction. Still he continued kissing the cuts, even running his tongue over them. When he pulled away with a final kiss to Luka’s palm the cuts had disappeared. “Curiosity can be harmful, you know,” he chided half-heartedly.

Somehow Luka knew he wasn’t speaking just about where he had touched. _He means we don’t have to rush anything._ He felt affection swell in his chest and raised himself up to press another kiss to the merman’s lips. “I can wait,” he said, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

His answer was met with a confident smirk and a kiss to his cheek. “It’s late. You should get back before the lantern goes out.” Luka’s disappointment at having to leave was more than evident on his face. He sighed reluctantly and gave a small pout. Datura laughed. “Don’t worry. We have all the time in the world.”

Luka’s smile was as bright as the moon. “Yes.”

The next week passed for Luka in a blissful blur. He spent every free second he had at the beach with Datura when he could. There was a large storm that kept them from meeting one day, but the very next they met at the estuary Datura had pulled him into. He finished his work at his aunt’s shop in record time. Her words of warning were lost to the wind as he rushed out the door to the beach. The villagers shook their heads as he passed but said nothing. It was his life he was risking after all. His feet felt like they were flying even as he stepped on the rocks. He brought a new book to Datura as soon as he found one. The merman would read it and ask him about it while Luka worked on small crafts or gathered shells. Some things were charms for his aunt’s shop which he explained to Datura. Others were things he liked to make himself.

At the end of the week Luka presented the merman with a thick bracelet made of the smallest shells he had gathered over the years. Small glass beads of aquamarine were dotted in here and there to catch the sun. The merman raised his wrist to the sun to watch it glinting off the glass in wonder. “Do you like it?” Luka asked.

“I love it!” Datura smiled in that toothy way Luka had come to love and wrapped his arms around the other, effectively pulling him into the water. When they surfaced they laughed at their childish behavior. Datura pulled Luka to him and he wrapped his arms around the merman’s firm torso with a happy sigh. With Datura holding him there was no need to keep himself afloat. The kisses that were peppered on his face made Luka giggle and shy away, earning him more kisses, until they stopped with a series of kisses to his lips that went from quick pecks to soft and slow. In those moments Luka felt the world was perfect. There was nowhere he would rather be than in Datura’s arms.

“What are those markings on your back?” Datura asked one day as he peered at Luka’s exposed back.

“Oh, my tattoo? It’s a drawing that stays on my skin. Lots of humans get them. Sometimes they mean something, other times it’s just something simple like something they like.”

“Why is yours the phases of the moon?”

“Well… the moon controls the tide. It pulls the water, just like the water pulls me toward it. I was also born during a Lunar Eclipse so it made sense to have the moon on my back since it’s such a big part of who I am,” Luka explained as he wove beads together into more magical charms. He heard Datura hum in thought behind him. He paused, surprised, when he suddenly felt the merman’s lips at his back. He had looked at his tattoo enough times to know exactly where he was kissing. “Why did you kiss that one?” he asked, looking at the other from over his shoulder.

Datura’s breath was warm against his skin. “That’s what the moon looked like when we kissed for the first time,” he said as if the information was the most precious secret in the world.

Luka flushed with color. “Smooth talker,” he said. But the soft laugh that Datura gave made it hard for him to even pretend to be put off by it.

Datura rest his chin on the man’s shoulder to look over at what he was doing. He watched him weave together beads and crystals onto a small coil of leather. “What is that charm for?” he asked. He had learned from previous talks that different charms were made for different purposes. It also depended on what the charm was made of.

“Familial protection,” Luka said. “The mother wants it to protect her sons while they hunt in the forests.”

The merman sounded confused. “Human parents watch over their children even when they’re old enough to hunt?”

“Some do,” the man confirmed. “Most humans live with their parents until they reach adulthood and can make a living on their own. Don’t you have parents?” he asked.

A heavy silence followed. Datura’s voice was small when he answered, lips brushing against Luka’s shoulder as he spoke. “I used to… a long time ago…”

“What happened?” Luka urged gently.

Datura sighed. “They were more shark in behavior than merfolk. When a shark calf is born it has to survive on its own right away. Instinct is all it has to survive. There is no parent shark to feed it, protect it, or even teach it how to do those things for itself. My parents were the same way. I was barely a year when they left me to fend for myself. Just as I thought I was going to die from starvation and wounds… a merfamily took me in. They raised me as their own. If it wasn’t for them I would have been dead a long time ago.” His voice was tense as he tried to contain his bitterness for his past.

Luka turned so he could see the merman’s face. He hated seeing the pain that was etched on Datura’s handsome brow. He leaned forward and placed a kiss to his forehead before pulling his head to his shoulder. He couldn’t relate to the cruelty Datura had gone through. He could empathize however, and hoped telling the other so would help him feel better. “I don’t remember my parents,” he said as he stroked Datura’s long silver hair. “Aunt Tempe is the only family I know. She said they were killed when I was too young to remember it. I don’t know anything about them, except that I get my eyes from my father and my beauty mark from my mother. And I got my singing voice from both of them. We both found the family we needed, I think,” he continued softly.

“Mm…” Datura hummed in soft agreement. “I’m eternally grateful to them.”

“Me, too,” Luka told him. “After all, if they hadn’t raised you, I never would have met you. And now that I have I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”

Datura pulled back from Luka’s neck. There was a hint of darker color on his cheeks as he looked at him with slight embarrassment. “Who’s the smooth talker now?” he quirked rhetorically. Luka laughed and held his face in his hands as he kissed him. Dature returned the kiss, a smile once again coming to his face. “Will you sing for me?” he asked when they pulled apart.

The other blinked some in surprise. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Aren’t merfolk supposed to be extraordinary singers?”

A kiss was pressed to his palm. “Please?”

Luka chuckled. “How about a lullaby?” Datura nodded. He made himself comfortable on the rocks, eagerly waiting for Luka to begin singing. Soon he was listening to a lullaby Luka’s aunt had taught him. Luka sang with ease, his voice amplified by the rocks around them and carried by the wind over the waves. When the song had ended Luka looked down to see the merman had fallen asleep with his arms as a pillow. He smiled and his eyes sparkled with affection as he brushed strands of hair from the merman’s forehead. He loved seeing Datura so at peace. He especially loved knowing he was the cause of it. “Sleep well, Datura,” Luka whispered. He picked up the charm he had been working on before to finish it, guarding the merman as he napped.


	3. Tide 3

“So, my child… you are in love.”  
Luka froze in his spot by the work counter, mortar and pestle stilled in his hands. His breath caught dangerously in his throat and it took a conscious effort to breathe again. “Yes,” he said simply. He knew there was no use in trying to hide it from his aunt now that she knew. She had always been frighteningly accurate in her intuition.  
“And?” his aunt pressed. “Who has captured your affections?” she clarified as she continued her own work about the room.  
“His name is Datura.”  
“Datura,” Tempe repeated, “a poisonous flower. How fitting.” She placed a heavy book back on its shelf. “How else could he win over your rationality to make your personality shift so drastically.”  
“He is not poison, Aunt Tempe,” Luka corrected calmly. “He is magic and wonder. To be apart from him is to be denied breath.”  
His aunt clicked her teeth in disapproval. “Are you sure you’re not hallucinating? Perhaps I need to find you an antidote.”  
“No, Aunt Tempe. I can promise you… I have never been more sure of anything in my life. And if I am hallucinating, may I never come down from this high,” he said. He placed the mortar and pestle in his aunt’s hands. His gaze was firm with determination. And for the first time in years Luka heard no warning as he hurried out the door toward the sea.  
When he arrived he was earlier than usual. It was unlikely Datura was already there waiting. Luka made his way to one of the estuaries. His heart was still pounding from the declaration he had made to his aunt. Yet at the same time he was absolutely elated at having spoken it out loud. But these were words he had yet to say to Datura himself. I need to fix that. I need to see him. I want to see him now! Luka skidded to a halt at the edge of the rocks. He looked out at the calm sea for signs of a familiar dorsal fin moving in the water. He saw no such sign however and sighed somewhat. No, I won’t give up. Just because he’s not here yet doesn’t mean he won’t come. I just have to be patient, he told himself. Determined to wait, he sat down at the very edge of the rocks and sea so the foam could kiss his toes. He gazed out at the calm waves for an unknown amount of time. Silence gave way to humming and humming soon gave way to singing. He let the waves carry his voice out to the sea as he lost himself to the song.  
No sooner had it ended than he heard a soft sloshing in the water before him. “The sirens would be envious if they heard you,” Datura told him.  
“You’re here!” Luka exclaimed happily.  
“I heard your voice,” the merman smiled. Luka blushed a little. He had only sung for Datura once and already the merman had memorized his voice. “You’re here early. Is something wrong?” the merman asked gently.  
“Actually, I…” Luka was interrupted by a cold drop on his cheek. He blinked, wiping it off with his fingers. Another drop soon followed, then another. The two looked up at the sky in time for the clouds to burst on top of them. Luka stood in surprise at the sudden downpour. The sky had been blue as his hair only moments ago. When had the clouds turned? The wind began to pick up and a chill went through the man.  
“It’s going to storm!” Datura yelled over the pounding rain.  
“What do we do?!” Luka looked up at the sky. There had been no signs of a storm brewing. It had come as quickly as if someone had willed it. Surely Aunt Tempe isn’t trying to punish me, he thought. He knew powerful witches could affect the weather with their mood or even change it if they chose. He looked down to see Datura extending a hand toward him. His eyes widened in shock. “In the water? Are you crazy?!”  
“There’s a grotto not far from here but the only way to get to it is to swim. It’s safer than having you climb slick rocks to get back to the village,” Datura told him. He extended his hand more earnestly. Still Luka hesitated. He knew how to swim, but he also knew doing so in a storm was not safe. He was worried for Datura’s safety as well. If they stayed out in the rain too long they could both be in danger. The merman’s eyes were calm to contrast the roiling sky. “Trust me.” Luka nodded. He took Datura’s hand and the merman pulled him underwater.  
The water muffled the sound of the incessant rain. Even Luka could tell the waves weren’t going to stay as calm as they were now. The merman gave him a reassuring smile before turning his body to begin leading them through the water. Luka held on as tightly as he possibly could. He could hold his breath for an impressive amount of time. He could even lengthen his air supply with magic, but not knowing how far the grotto truly was was making it difficult for him to concentrate. Datura led him swiftly along the shoreline to the crags. It was an area Luka had never been before. He could see the mouth of a tunnel as they neared it and trusted Datura to lead him through. The grip on his hand tightened as he closed his eyes in fright, opening his eyes only when he felt his breath running low.  
Thankfully he could see the break of the water’s surface above them. He could feel the water around them was calmer and safe for him to swim on his own. With Datura still leading by the hand Luka kicked with his legs to help propel them up until they broke the water’s surface. He gasped for breath and hurried to the shore, collapsing against it with labored breath.  
Datura was at his side instantly. “Are you okay?” he asked.  
Luka could only nod as he worked to reclaim his breath. A bit of a breathless laugh left him when he realized they had just out-swum a storm. “Well that was an adventure,” he said as he looked at the merman. Datura nodded, settling against the smooth rock they were on as close to him as he could. “Oh, man. I can’t imagine what the villagers would say if they knew I had just willingly followed a merman into the water,” he said with more laughter. He could only imagine their shocked faces and how speechless his own aunt would be if she knew. But the thought of it all didn’t worry him. He still felt as elated as he had before the storm now that Datura was beside him. Deciding the stone was cold he used his magic to summon a large pelt of fur residing in his aunt’s attic beneath him, giving him a much more comfortable surface to be on.  
The merman brought a hand to his face, gently brushing the back of his fingers along his cheekbone. He took in the way Luka looked bathed in the blue light of the grotto. The ceiling glowed blue and colored the water with its light. Luka let his eyes close at the soft touch. The smile lingered on his face as Datura stroked his skin and brushed wet hair from his face. A shiver went through him as the cool of the air hit his wet skin. “Let me,” Datura said, and within seconds was covering Luka’s exposed back with his own warmer body.  
“If there was wood here I could make a fire to keep us warm,” Luka said through slightly chattering teeth.  
“Don’t worry about it. Sharing body heat is the fastest solution,” Datura said. Luka hummed softly and relaxed in the other’s hold. His smile widened when he felt kisses to his bare shoulder. The kisses continued along his bare skin, and soon Datura’s hands were moving along his body as well. Luka’s brow rose in intrigue. Was the merman simply trying to warm him up faster? The kisses moved to the center of his back to the beginning of his tattoo. Again Luka knew exactly where he was being kissed. Tingles went up his spine at having the skin be so lavished with attention it wasn’t used to. There was no denying he liked the attention he was getting. Datura’s hands worked warmth into his body with the gentle friction they were creating against his skin. He heard a noise of dissatisfaction behind him. “I could warm you up better if your clothes weren’t in the way.”  
The way he had said it was matter of fact with keeping Luka warm as the only motive behind them. But Luka felt a fire ignite within him which warmed his face automatically. His eyes locked on Datura’s over his shoulder, the way he was feeling evident in his eyes. “Then take them off,” he said in a way that hid nothing from the merman. Luka thought he heard Datura’s breath hitch. He watched as the merman lowered himself toward his upper back, their eyes locked until the other had to turn away, and soon felt the tugging of strings being undone at the back of his neck. Once the ties were completely undone Datura used his hands to guide Luka onto his back. He began pushing the fabric of Luka’s shirt up his torso as he kept his eyes locked on the blue pools gazing back at him. The eye contact was only broken when Luka raised his arms above his head and arched his back so his shirt could be peeled off him.  
No sooner had the garment been discarded than Datura’s lips were at Luka’s neck. A soft gasp left the man as he willingly exposed the flesh to him. The kisses were soft at first as if the merman were savoring the sensation like Luka was. They quickly turned more fervent. There was a brief scrape of teeth now and then and it made Luka gasp. Datura’s hands ran from his bare wrists down his arms to his sides where he continued feeling the other’s skin like he had before. His kisses moved lower to Luka’s collarbone. The feeling of teeth was more noticeable now, but the stinging was pleasant and fueled the fire inside him more. Luka gave out soft moans of appreciation. Fingers brushed along the line of his stomach down to his hips. Luka felt the pressure of Datura’s hips against his own. His cheeks flushed at the way his body reacted. Datura’s voice was low and tantalizing in his ear. “Should I keep going…?”  
Luka responded with a whispered “yes” and Datura claimed his lips in an eager kiss.  
Kisses rained down on his bare chest. Silver hair brushed his skin like strands of silk. Datura’s hands made expert work of bringing heat into Luka’s skin. Kisses and bites elicited pleasured sounds from his open lips. The privacy of the grotto made it easy for him to let his voice be heard without restraints. When Datura’s lips found his again there was a hunger in his kisses that took his breath away. Luka’s hands explored the merman’s smooth skin. He felt the subtle groove of every scar, the way his muscles rippled like water, and the growing heat in Datura’s own skin. He brought one hand to Datura’s chest and let it slide down the length of his torso. A gasp and a groan left Datura when Luka’s hand moved past his hips. He felt something slick and hard at his fingertips. His eyes darted down to their hips and an instant flush went to his cheeks at the sight. He glanced up into silver eyes gleaming with desire. Knowing he had such an effect on the other fueled his confidence. He took Datura’s hardness in hand and gave it a few slow strokes, watching the way the merman’s brow furrowed with pleasure. He brought his lips to Datura’s fine jaw and dotted it with kisses. His own teeth scraped against the skin the same way Datura’s had on him. He could hear Datura’s ragged breath as he moved his lips along his neck, being careful of his gills in the process.  
Nimble fingers tugged at the strings keeping his pants at his hips. A hand tugged at the hem and Luka lifted his hips to make the removal easier. Datura pulled the clothing from his legs, exposing him completely. His hand slid along Luka’s bare thigh toward his arousal. “Can I touch you?” he asked between ragged breaths. Luka gave a soft hum of consent against his neck. Datura trailed his fingers along the hardened flesh at Luka’s groin, earning him a soft whimper at the teasing touch, before wrapping his hand around it fully like Luka had his. A louder moan left the man beneath him when he stroked him. Luka’s lips brushed against his jaw again as he leaned his head back in pleasure. Datura shifted his body to cover his as his lips claimed his in hungry kisses. Luka responded by sliding his hand from Datura’s shoulder to the base of his neck. His fingers tangled into silky silver while his other hand ran down the curve of Datura’s back. The merman rocked his hips against him and Luka did the same. Datura gasped into the kiss. “Do that again,” he rasped.  
Their hips rocked together over and over again. They sought more of each other with hands, lips, teeth. Panting breaths and moans echoed softly off the grotto walls. Fingers tangled in hair and nails dug slightly into skin. “Datura…” Luka gasped in a way that told the other what he wanted.  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yes.”  
“Then turn around for me.”  
A shiver went through him at the gentle commanding voice in his ear. Once Datura lifted his hips Luka rolled onto his stomach. He was glad he had thought of summoning the fur which was making things easier. More kisses and nibbles were pressed against his back as Datura once again lowered his hips. Luka gasped and gave a soft moan at the heat of Datura’s hardness rubbing against his bottom. His skin tingled with anticipation. The merman’s fingers traveled along the curve of his spine to his entrance, using the slickness gathered there to push one inside. Luka’s hips bucked at the contact. Datura’s touches were gentle and thorough, and with the desire coursing through him it wasn’t long before Luka was pleading for more. He glanced at the merman over his shoulder. “Datura…”  
The merman shuddered at the obvious want in the other’s voice and eyes. He removed his fingers slowly before covering Luka’s body with his own. One arm snaking around his torso while the other supported his weight. He felt the way Luka’s body reacted as he entered him; heard his breath hitch and his heart thrum against his palm. He kept his silver eyes locked on the other to gauge his reaction. Luka clasped Datura’s arm as he felt his length fill him. His body twitched in Datura’s hold as he waited for Luka to adjust. He pressed kisses to his shoulder.  
Luka caught his gaze and gave a silent nod for him to continue. Within minutes he was clinging to the fur beneath him as Datura took him with deep thrusts. His breath was rough against Luka’s neck. Sloppy kisses were pressed to the skin at his racing pulse point. Luka turned his head to welcome the kisses on his lips. Their breaths and moans mingled together. Luka soon felt the pleasure he was feeling begin to reach its peak. “D-Datura…” he managed between moans.  
Datura gave a grunt in his throat. He picked up the pace of his thrusts and tightened his grip on Luka’s body. The young man’s moans grew louder in response. “Can I bite you…?” Datura asked tentatively in his ear.  
“Yes,” came the moan in response. Teeth nipped at his shoulder but didn’t take hold just yet. Luka tangled a hand in Datura’s hair as his climax drew near. It washed over him in shockwaves that left his body tingling from head to toe. Seconds later he felt Datura’s climax hit them both. Heat filled him as the merman’s hips stilled against him. A sting at his shoulder let him know Datura had bitten him, the ache that followed sweet instead of painful. Their breathing quieted as the pleasure subsided and the cool of the air settled into their skin again. Soft kisses once again found his shoulders, neck, and back. Luka chuckled warmly at the sweet affection as he let his body sink against the fur.  
The merman placed a kiss to the man’s temple. “Rest, my moon. I’ll be here when you wake,” he murmured. Luka closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep.


	4. Tide 4

_“Stay clear of the sea, my child.”_

_“Even when the water is calm?”_

_“Even then.”_

_“Why?”_

_Tempe placed her hand on Luka’s shoulder. “The sea can change in an instant, little one. It can pull you under with no escape without warning. And there are creatures that could do the same. You’ve heard of mermaids and sirens, yes?”_

_Luka’s younger self nodded. “The sailors warn us about them every time they return.”_

_“They say a mermaid’s kiss can steal your very breath. A siren will lure you to your death with song. A mermaid will lure you with beautiful words. You drowned once, Luka. If you go too far into the water, you will belong to the sea.”_

Luka woke to the sound of water softly sloshing against the grotto shore. He opened his eyes, taking a brief moment to adjust to the dim lighting before raising himself into a sitting position. His body ached in memory of what had happened. “Datura…?” he called out.

“I’m right here,” the familiar voice said. Luka turned to see the merman resting at the edge of the rock at his feet. He looked at him with a soft smile before it faded into a gentle look of concern. “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?” he asked.

“Not exactly,” Luka replied as he reached for his clothes. He noticed he was noticeable less messy as he should have been. He looked at the merman with a skeptical brow. “Did you wash me?” he asked.

Datura shrugged. “In a sense, I suppose. I pulled you into the water enough to clean your body. You must have been very tired; you didn’t stir a bit.”

Luka blushed at the thought. He tucked some hair behind his ear as he pulled on his clothes. Scooting to the edge of the rock and sitting again before pulling on his top. “How long have we been here?” he asked, tying the strings at the back of his neck as he spoke.

“I don’t know. The sky is darkening but the rain is still pouring. I brought us some fish for dinner,” Datura replied, pointing to the pile of fish a little further along the rock.

“I guess I’ll be spending the night here,” Luka concluded with a sigh.

The merman laughed softly. He raised himself up to be eye-level to the man. “Don’t worry. I’m staying with you the whole night,” he promised. Then he sealed his promise with a soft kiss.

 _“They say a mermaid’s kiss can steal your very breath,”_ Tempe’s voice nagged in Luka’s mind.

He brushed silver silk from Datura’s face with a smile. _Then let my breath be stolen_ , he thought as if in reply, because Datura’s kisses were like no magic he had ever known. He bent his head for more of that magic with a smile on his lips.

Luka used his magic and the wood of a crashed dingy in the grotto to make a fire for warmth and cooking his fish. Datura regaled him with more stories of his adventures. He asked Luka about human foods. Luka summoned a cooking book so the merman could see the process as best as possible. When it was well into the night the two settled against the fur together, Datura’s fin dipped into the water over the rock’s edge. Luka slipped into sleep for the second time with Datura’s arms wrapped securely around him. When morning came Datura guided them through the tunnel to the grotto into open water. He guided Luka safely to the beach where they had to say goodbye. It was unlikely Tempe would let Luka leave the house since he had spent the night somewhere else. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Luka promised with a kiss to Datura’s cheek.

“Tomorrow,” the merman repeated.

To Luka’s relief, when he stepped into his aunt’s home he found it empty. A note on the dining table said she was in the next town delivering a spell. He heaved a sigh of relief knowing he wasn’t going to be questioned about where he had been. It gave him a chance to clean up and return the book and fur to their rightful place with another summoning spell. He busied himself with orders from customers as was usual. Some villagers looked at him in curiosity at his elated mood. The mark on his shoulder shocked them, but no one dared say anything. Late at night Luka sunk wearily into bed. His mind was full of the thought of seeing Datura again. And though it was impossible he felt the call of the sea was stronger that night than it had ever been so far from the beach.

Chapter 4

Luka stared out the window with his brow creased in thought. The sea was still calling to him. The whisper seemed loud enough as if he were standing at the shore. It was also different from the usual call. These whispers ran together in a way that he couldn’t understand. _What is it? What are you trying to tell me…?_ he called back to the voices. But all he heard for an answer was more whispers.

Tempe set the charm she had finished in the proper wrapping. She paused, looking at the young man at the window, before clearing her throat to get his attention. “The sky is restless today. It is likely there will be another storm today.”

Luka turned his head from the window at last. “Another one?” he asked to clarify.

“Indeed. I suspect this one will be more significant than the last,” his aunt said as she wrapped up the charm. Luka’s brow creased in confusion at her cryptic words. “Is the storm bothering you? There is a bit of a chill in the air, I suppose, considering you are wearing a tunic today. I know of your aversion to sleeves,” she questioned him with a bit of a teasing smile.

“Oh…” Luka voiced as he looked down at his outfit. It was true he was wearing a loose tunic shirt instead of his usual crop top, but it had nothing to do with the storm. His shoulder ached where Datura had bit him. It wasn’t a painful feeling but more like a twinge here and there. He had looked in the mirror and seen it was red as if bruising. So he had thought it better to put some ointment on it and keep it covered for a day or two. Despite the ache he still held no regrets over how he had gotten the bite mark. “No, it’s not the storm, I don’t think…” he said as he turned his gaze back to the window.

Tempe watched him silently. She finished wrapping the charm in its packaging and gathered her travel sack of herbs, small potions, and generic charms. “Come into town with me. You could use the fresh air,” she said in a way that told Luka he had no choice.

The young man tore himself away from the window and the whispers. “Yes, Aunt Tempe.”

The village was abuzz in its usual mid-day market. Merchants were still trying to sell their nonperishable wares. Fish, vegetables, and other meats were sold in the morning. Things that couldn’t be sold were saved for the next day if they could. Other merchants stayed out until the sun set. There was always hope for visitors from other villages. There were some months when at least one traveler was at the inn every week. Other seasons were empty of visitors. Luka had noted those months were typically the storm season. It was as if the villagers’ superstitions about the sea had traveled the country. The village was small enough Luka recognized every face he and his aunt passed.

His aunt delivered the charm she had made first. Luka stood obediently behind her as she spoke to her customers. He did his best to ignore the whispers at the back of his mind. He knew Datura would be waiting at the usual place at the usual time. Until then he had to play the part of his aunt’s successor as dutifully as possible to keep the suspicion off him. Once the charm was delivered they traveled the length of the village. Others approached Tempe for her wares. Not every problem required a magical solution, but even then his aunt gave the villagers her advice on what they could do. Luka couldn’t recall when his aunt had become such a prominent person in the village. He supposed it was because she was the only magician within five villages in each direction.

A chill wind went through the air. Villagers murmured about a storm just as Tempe had earlier. Luka turned his head toward the sea. They were far enough in the village that he couldn’t see the waves but he could see the horizon. Clouds had disappeared and the sky was turning from blue like his hair to grey like ashes in a fireplace. Luka felt an onslaught of muddled whispers in his mind. He shut his eyes tightly in an effort to block them out. _One at a time! What do you want?_

“Luka?” Tempe called out to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “What is it?”

Luka turned to her with a start. He had never told his aunt about the whispers; about the calling in his heart to be one with the sea. Her warning was drilled in his mind after all whether he followed it or not. But the concern in her eyes was enough to make him take a chance in telling her. “The sea is calling to me, Aunt Tempe, as if something is wrong,” he told her quietly.

A commotion from the tavern interrupted their conversation before Tempe could respond. “I’m tellin’ ya, I know what I saw!” a man shouted.

“Ah, yer drunk again, Seamus!” another scoffed with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“I’m not! I’ve not had a drop of liquor since two days ago! It was a shark, I’m tellin’ ya!” Seamus insisted. Luka felt his body grow cold with dread. “It was sittin’ on a rock plain as day.”

“A shark, sittin’ on a rock? You’ve lost it, ya ol’ kook,” another tavern-man shook his head.

“Seamus was tellin’ the truth! I saw it! It’s out there now!” a fisherman said from behind Luka and his aunt. “It’s a siren! He’s half-human, half-shark, unearthly beauty—just like the stories say!”

The villagers gasped and murmured amongst themselves in fear. The first tavern-man broke the silence. “A male siren is impossible. We all know from the stories sirens are women.”

“Even if it wasn’t a siren, a shark is a dangerous creature,” a villager pointed out. “We can’t leave it to drive away our fish and attack our fishermen in their boats!”

“Grab yer harpoons, men! We’ll fillet that fish and protect our village!” Seamus declared. Several men responded with a determined cheer. They clambered into their homes for their weapons and raced to the beach.

“Surely we don’t have to kill the poor beast,” a woman voiced.

“I agree. It is simply an animal, after all,” another sympathized.

Luka’s heart beat at rapid pace with growing panic. Before his aunt could keep him back he was racing toward the beach as fast as he could will his legs to carry him. _Datura!_

“Mistress Tempe… won’t your nephew get hurt?” a woman asked tentatively.

Tempe kept her eyes on the horizon. The sky threatened to be pitch-black long before sunset. “Get inside, everyone. The storm is coming fast.”

Luka stood on the beach panting for breath. His lungs burned and his legs threatened to give way. Small cuts stung his ankles from grazing the rocks as he stumbled among them. The wind whipped his hair about his face, the pouring rain drenched him. The waves rolled hard and fast before him. He scanned the water the best he could through the rain for any signs of Datura or an ordinary shark who would be meeting with an unfortunate end. “Datura!!” he called into the storm. “Daturaaaaaa!!” he tried again with as much volume as he could muster, throwing his whole body into the scream to get his voice heard over the waves.

“Luka!” The responding voice was panicked and distant. Luka’s eyes scanned the waves again.

Fishermen’s voices reached him, indicating where they were. “There it is! It’s a shark, alright!” one of them shouted.

“Get yer harpoons ready, men! We’ll spear ‘im for sure!” Seamus declared.

Luka had no time to tell Datura to swim away. He was already caught in the men’s net, his fin tangled in the ropes. He thrashed in an effort to untangle himself. He could barely hear Luka shout for the men to let him go over the roar of the waves and wind. For a moment he thought he had untangled himself enough to get away until a piercing pain shot through his fin. Datura looked to see a stream of blood mixing into the water. He had barely processed the wound before he was given another. They were just grazes but the pain was enough to give the fishermen the upper-hand they needed. He felt the pulling at his caudal fin. Then more of the net wrapped around his body. _Luka…_

Luka’s heart stopped when he saw Seamus raise his harpoon. The signs of thrashing beneath the waves stilled. “No…” Another fisherman followed suit. “No…!”

“It’s stopped fightin’! Quick, reel it in so we can finish it off!” one of the men shouted.

Lightning crashed through the sky. Luka was able to see a clear, stony path to the fishermen’s boat. He forced his feet to move across the soggy shore, sand fighting his movements at every step, clambering over slick rocks to the water’s edge. He racked his mind for the right spell to use and how he could stop the fishermen long enough to do what needed to be done. Luckily, the sky was on his side. A crack of thunder sounded close by and the lighting that followed was close enough to stun them temporarily. Their confusion was enough for them to let go of the net. Datura began to sink back below the surface. He pushed through the pain to reach for his fin in an effort to untangle it from the netting. But his vision was already growing blurry from loss of blood. How many wounds had they inflicted on him?

Luka ran to the edge of the rocky shore and dove in. The silver of Datura’s hair helped him find the merman in the darkness of the waves. His hands found the net Datura’s own were desperately trying to undo. Though his vision was hazy the merman could see Luka was there, and he knew it was more dangerous for him the further into the depths they sunk. He tried to push Luka’s hands away and push him back to the surface. Luka pushed his hands away. He pulled out the small knife he kept on his person for emergencies and began furiously cutting the ropes. He could feel his breath running out as he worked. At last he managed to get Datura free, but the merman was steadily growing weaker from his injuries. He gave Luka soft, sad smile as he reached for him. Even under water Luka could feel tears stinging the back of his eyes. He surged forward and took Datura’s handsome face in his hands. Their lips found each other, and as they did Luka incanted the spell in his mind with all his heart.

Datura felt the stinging of his wounds fade with a surge of warmth. His vision cleared and he could see Luka’s face before him as if they were on the shore. He brought a hand to the back of Luka’s head, deepening the kiss they shared with his newfound strength. When they pulled away he met Luka’s relieved expression with a smile of his own. Datura held out his hand for the other to lead them to the surface.

But Luka’s hand grew further out of reach as his breath and strength finally ran out. He heard Datura’s voice calling his name. His eyes grew heavy as if with sleep, and as he closed his eyes he heard the whispers of the sea clearly in his mind. _Come home…_

Datura raised himself from the wet sand with a groan. The storm had passed but the sky was still overcast in gray. He felt waves keeping his fin wet. The beach was silent except for the occasional cry of gulls. Datura turned to the body beside him. Somehow he had managed to swim them both to shore despite the tumultuous waves. “Luka…?” he breathed out, but any other words were lost in his confusion. Beside him was another merman, not a human. His honeyed skin was familiar to his touch. His hair was a familiar sky blue though much longer. The fin was long and a shimmering pink with patches of blue, the external fins the same blue as his hair, and small patches of both colors of scales were on the tips of his shoulders. Datura shifted the position of his head with his hand. A familiar beauty spot was just under the merman’s left eye. A soft puff of breath cooled his wrist. Datura let out a sigh of relief.

The shift of sand before him caught the merman’s attention. He looked up to see a woman with long curly hair as black as squid ink. Her eyes were blacker than the abyss of the sea. She stared at Datura in silence. Datura scowled as he quickly shifted to cover Luka’s body with his own. “Tempest,” he hissed at her.

“Hmm… I haven’t heard that name in decades,” the woman said calmly. She looked down at Luka’s unconscious form. “His fin is quite lovely, isn’t it?”

Datura looked down at Luka. “How is this possible?” he asked. “He almost died saving me.”

“With his tears and a spell?”

“Tears...? He kissed me.”

“Yes, well, a merfolk’s kiss alone doesn’t have the power to heal to that extent… but his tears would. Tears for a loved one can be some of the most powerful magic in the world,” Tempest told him with a bit of a shrug. “And you?” she asked. “Did you cry for him?”

“Of course I did. I almost lost him,” Datura replied, hugging Luka’s body closer. “But how did that turn him into a merman?” he asked.

Tempest sighed. “I saved him from his parents when he was young. We’ve been living on land long enough he never knew what he really was. I suppose the sea called him home—the sea… and your love.” Datura looked shy for a moment. She gave him a hint of a smile. “Thank you for saving him. Please take care of him. I will be watching over you both,” she said. She gave a nod of her head before turning to leave the beach.

“Thank you,” Datura called to her. He looked down at Luka and shook his shoulder gently. “Luka. Luka, wake up; we made it.”

The continued shaking and calling of his name eventually drew Luka out of his mind. He looked at the merman before him without recognition at first. “Datura!” he realized and shot up. He scanned the other’s form for the injuries t he fishermen’s harpoons had made but saw none. All his injuries had healed as if they had never been there. “You’re okay!” Luka breathed in relief.

“Yes, but I almost lost you in the process! Why would you do something so dangerous?”

“I couldn’t just stand back and watch you die.”

“You almost died. Why would you go so far for me?”

Luka’s gaze shifted down as a blush took to his cheeks. “Because I love you…” he said softly.

Datura blinked in surprise. “You do?”

The other nodded. “You are more precious to me than all the wonders of the sea.”

Datura reached out to lift his chin until Luka’s eyes met his. He leaned closer until their lips were a breath apart. “I love you, Luka,” he whispered. Luka felt his heart soar with bliss even before their lips met in a gentle kiss. The kiss quickly turned into more, each mixed with a range of emotions.

“There’s something I don’t understand,” Luka said, breaking the kiss.

“Hmm?”

“How am I alive? I should have drowned.”

Datura looked at him for a few moments before a bit of a smirk took his lips. “Merfolk can’t drown.”

Luka’s brow furrowed with confusion. “What are you talking about?” Datura indicated for him to look down at his legs. His eyes widened in shock at the lack of legs. “A fin?!” he exclaimed in disbelief.

The other laughed. “You truly were made for the sea,” he commented.

“How is this possible?” Datura retold what Tempest had told him before Luka had woken up. Luka recalled his aunt’s words: “If you drown again you will belong to the sea.” He had always thought it meant death. Now he knew there was a deeper meaning. “So… this is my true form, I guess…” he voiced in thought.

Nimble fingers brushed his long hair from his face, thumb swiping lovingly along the beauty mark under his eye. “You’re beautiful,” Datura told him softly. Again Luka felt himself blush. “Let’s go, Luka. I know of an ocean as blue as your hair. It would be a shame not to see it. We have so much of the world to see together,” Datura said with his voice full of excitement and a toothy smile to match.

Luka smiled just as brightly. “As long as I can be with you, I will go anywhere.”

They pushed themselves off the shore back into the water. A brief review of swimming later the two were making their way through the sea hand in hand. There, surrounded by the sea he loved and with Datura at his side, Luka finally felt at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone would like to see Luka's merman design, here it is: https://aoishmex.tumblr.com/image/190011760902


End file.
